1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for operation of a gaming device, such as a slot machine and, more particularly, for remote play of such gaming devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are numerous types of gaming devices in use today. Many of these gaming devices, such as slot machines, video blackjack machines, video poker machines, video roulette machines, and the like, typically allow only one player to operate a given machine at a time. Thus, only that one player can wager and collect payouts. Furthermore, that one player typically must be physically present at the gaming device. Thus, the typical gaming device has drawbacks for both the gaming device players and owners.
Because the player must be physically present at the gaming device, the player is limited in the number and type of games that can be played. Slot machine players, for example, are known to play multiple machines at one time by inserting money in several adjacent slot machines and then pressing the play button of each machine in rapid succession. Such a manner of playing the machines can be awkward as the player must move from machine to machine in order to feed money and initiate each play on each machine. Furthermore, because slot machines of the same type are typically placed next to each other in a casino, a player cannot play different types of machines at the same time. Thus, there is a need for a method and system for remote play of gaming devices, particularly of different type devices.
Keno permits a player to play without an actual physical presence at a machine. In Keno, a player selects a series of numbers. A game consists of matching the players numbers against a series of numbers drawn by the casino. Once the player has selected the series of numbers, the player selects a certain number of games for which those numbers are valid. Thus, by selecting several games, the player may bet on future games without a continued presence at a machine.
With Keno, however, there is no remote play. The numbers are automatically and continuously drawn by a central server and broadcast or transmitted to a number of screens throughout an establishment, such as a casino. While an unlimited number of players can attempt to match the numbers drawn, players do not initiate play. Additionally, only one type of game is being played at a time. Thus, Keno cannot be said to provide remote play of a gaming machine, particularly of the type in which each play is initiated by a player.
Blackjack and Pai Gow poker tables sometimes allow a non-player to make wagers on top of those made by the participants of the games. In other words, while one player sits at a table, non-players may stand behind the player and wager on the player's hand. While allowing more than one person to wager on a game, these practices require all persons wagering to be physically present at the table. No remote wagering or play occurs.
Betting by non-participants on top of a player's wager has several disadvantages. For example, additional surveillance is required by casino personnel because disputes may arise as to which person has made a particular wager. Disputes as to which person has the right to decide how to play the hand also arise. Consequently, a need exists for remote wagering and play of gaming devices.
Multiplayer gaming devices exist which permit multiple players to play a single gaming device. For example, “Sigma Derby” is a game in which multiple players simultaneously wager on a simulated horse race. Each player bets individually, in a separate coin acceptor. Despite allowing several players to participate in the game, Sigma Derby also requires each of the players to be physically present. Therefore, such multiplayer gaming devices fail to fulfill the need for a method and system for remote wagering and play of a gaming device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,424 to Hedges et al. (Hedges) is directed to a gaming system in which a remote player watches a live video of a game and participates in the playing of that game. Specifically, a video camera located at a gaming table, such as craps table, which is run by a casino employee called a croupier, sends a live video signal to a remote player at a player station. At the player station, the remote player watches the actual play and wagers along with the players at the table. The player enters the wager into the player station, which, in turn, transmits the wager to a credit station. In this system, however, the croupier manually enters the outcome of each game played at the table into a croupier station. The outcome is communicated to the credit station. The credit station then communicates the outcome to the remote player at the player station. The credit station stores the player's credit balance and updates the credit balance based upon the player's wager and the outcome of each game.
The remote gaming system of Hedges, however, has several disadvantages. Hedges requires that a live video signal be sent from the croupier station to the player station. Such a system can be costly and difficult to maintain, particularly if multiple croupier stations exist. Moreover, reliance on the live video signal causes the Hedges device to be error-prone because the camera view may be temporarily blocked or the video system may fail. The player must actually participate in the game. Specifically, the remote player actually participates in and makes decisions regarding play by watching the live video display. Thus, the remote player is limited to remotely playing one game at a time and is, therefore, limited in the frequency of wagering opportunities. The results of play at the table are not automatically transferred to the remote player. Instead, the croupier must manually input the results at the croupier station. The manual intervention allows for fraudulent or erroneous results to be passed to the credit station and the remote player. Furthermore, only if the live video signal is recorded or archived could an allegation of an erroneous result be confirmed.
In sum, there exists a need for a method and system for remote wagering and play of a gaming device, particularly a method and system that does not require human intervention and live video transmission of the game being played.